The Man Behind the Mask
by Mrs. BYG
Summary: We all know how Slade is supposedly unloveable, I guess you could say. But what happens when the newest villainess, Tempt strikes his heart and excepts him and all of his beautiful flaws?
1. Titans Drool

17:42

The Man Behind The Mask

Character Profile:

NAME: Tempt

REAL NAME: Cassandra Amesty

AGE: 29

OUTFIT: black half-hoodie and gray sweatpants with black and white Airforces; wears a black belly ring and has a tattoo inked on the inside of her wrist that says, "Remember" in Chinese

SIDE: Villain

BIO: Just moved from LA to Jump City; used to be a stripper at a bar; retired assassin; tracking down her brother who killed her family

LOOKS: amber eyes, slender and toned, pouty pink lips, long wavy red hair with highlights

POWERS: teleportation, seduction/persuasion, hand-to-hand combat

****Slade is 31 now and the Titans are between the ages 15-18; THIS IS AFTER RAVEN DEFEATS TRIGON****

Chapter 1: Titans Drool

Theme Song: _Cobra Starship ft. Sabi: You Make Me Feel _and _Adam Lambert: For Your Entertainment_

The sun beat down on my head as I window-shopped in my new denim skinny jeans, lime green halter-top, and rainbow wedge heel sandals. _Oh, that bag is just to die for! _I mused over a cute green Prada handbag. I was pressing my nose against the window to get a better look at when a man made of cinderblock came roaring down the street along with a gooey monster with neon jelly-like boils pulsing out of it and a monster surging with lighting blue electricity. People started to run screaming as they started to trash the place, throwing cars into stores and ripping street lamps out of their moldings.

While everyone ran around in mass hysteria, I walked into the store and took the bag from the window display out. I scanned the tops of buildings, searching for the man I now worked for. About two buildings over and three stories up, I saw the slight shadow of a figure and started to walk towards it calmly. From behind me I could hear the catch phrase everyone knew and loved, "Titans Go!" The figure's shape began to come into focus as I walked up to him, smirking. "What's up, Slade?"

_Flashback: Two days ago: I searched the ground for any tracks my brother might have left behind from his overnight stay in the empty lot surrounded by trees in the forest. "Damn you, Ash. You of course would cover your traps this perfectly," I growled quietly. I stood up and looked around for anything that might have looked even slightly out of place. A dark shadow flashed across my vision and I whipped my head back to where I seen it. "Who's there? Is it you, Ash? Come out and fight like a man!" I yelled. "I'm sorry to say it's not your dearest brother, Cassandra." I fervently scanned the treetops, searching for the person the voice belonged to. "Who are you?" The ground behind me trembled slightly with a soft pat and suddenly my hands were pinned behind my back. "My name is Slade and I'd like you to work for me." I furiously tried to get free of his iron grip. "Why would I want to help you? And how do you know my name? How do you know about my brother?" The man behind me chuckled and whispered in my ear, "All in do time, sweet girl. But to answer your first question, you should help me because I can help you find your brother." I kicked my leg out behind me. My foot connected with the man's knee. He was so caught off guard he shuffled back with an expected, yet surprised look on his 'face'. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?" The man's face was covered with a metal mask, one side bronze, and the other silver. He wore a black suit with hints of armor in it. "If you will help me, you may find out." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why should I trust you?" He cocked his head at me, seemingly amused. "You shouldn't, as I don't trust you either, but none the less, we can certainly help each other." I took a moment to think about his offer, and then raised my chin defiantly. "Fine. The name's Tempt. Don't you _ever_ forget it." I offered my hand for him to shake. "I wouldn't dare to think of it." And he kissed my hand and disappeared. _

"Like my bag?" I asked cheerfully. He looked down at me with amused, yet bored eyes. "Lovely. Hurry and change so you can help the others. I want them to see what they're up against." I cocked my eyebrow at him. "How many times do I have to tell you not to rush me? All will happen in do time. Now hold this." I gave him my newly 'purchased' bag and from a duffle bag he handed me, 'seductively' changed my clothes in front of him. "Keep your tongue in your mouth, boy," I teased him, knowing he had no mouth piece to hang his tongue from.

After I slipped on my gray sweatpants, I ran out of the alley and into the fight between the Teen Titans and Slade's monsters. I popped up behind the small green imp known as Beastboy. "Hey there, handsome," I whispered in his ear. He squeaked and whipped around to see nothing but space as I had popped up behind him again. "Over here, imp." I chuckled as he swung around again. I hit him hard in the back of the head, knocking him out instantly. "You are just _too_ cute," I said to his unconscious form. I turned to the fight ensuing by the jewelry shop. "One down, four more to go."

I dashed into the 'scuffle' and called off Overload and Plasmus, and then jumped on Cinderblock's back. "Forward, Stone!" I cheerfully commanded, using my nickname for him. "My name is not Stone!" he screamed at me, but surged forward nonetheless. With a battle cry that would make a war general proud, he slammed his concrete fist into the ground, rippling the already cracked and debris-strewn street. The guy made of metal, Cyborg and the shrimp with the cheap hair-gelled hair, Robin, were thrown off balance while the goth and bubbly red-headed blonde flew into the air.

"Who is that?" I heard the leader ask to no one in particular. I jumped down and landed in front of Cinderblock. "The name's Tempt. And don't you _dare_ forget it." "I don't know what you want," Robin said, "but you're going down. Titans GO!" I teleported over to Beastboy and picked him up by the collar. Teleporting back over to Cinderblock and handed the green elf over to him, warned the Titans, "Uh uh uh, I don't think you want anything to happen to your _precious_ Beastboy, now would you?" The Titans stopped abruptly. I smirked and leaned into Cinderblock's oversized concrete leg. "I didn't think so. Now, you have something my boss wants. Give it to me."

"And who exactly is your boss?" Raven asked in her usual monotone voice. I slid my half-lidded gaze over to focus on her ashen gray face. "Just a friend." I looked at Robin once again, grabbing hold of Beastboy with a knife in my hand. "Now, Robin. Give. Me. What's. Mine. Or else." My lips turned up in a sadistic grin. He glanced at the sharp blade poised at the bottom of Beastboy's throat. It seemed like a battle was going on in his head. "Remember, Robin, one move and the little imp's done for." He clenched his teeth as he reluctantly dug through a pouch on his belt to pull out a small blue disk. I motioned for Cinderblock to bring the boy over.

We walked over to the Boy Wonder and I held out my hand. He angrily jammed the disk into my hand, his team surprised at his actions. I picked up the boy and threw him over to the floating alien. "It's been nice doing business with you," I teased and winked at him. "Come on, sweetie," I told Cinderblock, a hand on his arm. "Plasmus. Overload. Let's go." From my pocket I dropped smoke bombs and we disappeared into the haze.


	2. RESPECT

18:06

Chapter 2: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Theme Song: _Christina Grimmie: Not Fragile_

When Cinderblock, Plasmus, and Overload got back to Slade's hideout, I tossed the disk up into the air and caught it in my hand. "So, Slade, what's this thing for anyway?" I tossed it up again and he snatched it from mid-air. "It's the key to all of Jump City's lethal information." I hopped onto a high chair in the kitchen of his hidden abode. "Lethal information? What, did the mayor cheat on his wife or something? Are too many people too happy for their own good?" I joked. Slade looked at me with a bland look. "It has all the information of all the citizens and city, including financial and slightly personal intel." Cocking my eyebrow, I laid my head on my hand, "Seriously? Why kind of idiot would give that to a bunch of pre-teen idiots playing hero?"

"A fearful one," he answered and pulled a bottle of wine from a locked cabinet over the counter. "Fearful? Might I ask of what?" I inquired and gratefully accepted the chute glass filled with intoxicating red wine. "Would you feel confident the secrets of the city were kept in the hands of a police force who more than half the time are knocked out cold by the thief or in the hands of an 'elite and experienced' group of "pre-teen idiots playing hero"?" I chuckled into my glass and take a small sip. "You make a good point. Jump City should really step up their game if the smallest thing to make them give over the heart of the city is a little green brat I threatened to 'kill'. It's obvious they can't call a bluff. I mean, seriously, anyone with true experience could have seen from my posture that the most I'd probably give the boy was a nick on the neck."

"You don't kill?" Slade asked me and poured himself another glass. "I _don't_," I said in a strict voice and looked at him over my glass. "So, don't you even _think_ about sending me out on a kill mission. Those days are over for me." Slade looked at me with a steady look. "I won't," he promised quietly. Nodding, I checked my watch and hopped down from the chair. "I'd best be going to sleep. I've got tracking to do tomorrow. Goodnight, Slade." I put my glass in the sink and slapped him on the butt as I walked out. I howled with laughter as he looked after me flabbergasted.

THE NEXT DAY

A morning of meditation had calmed me for the day, or for at least a slight portion. All day I'd visited shops, showing a picture of my brother to people and made phone calls to local villains in hopes of tracking my bastard brother down, but it was to no avail at all. "Dammit!" I yelled and threw my phone on the ground. "Ash, _where_ could you be?" I laid my head on the table in the kitchen and whined. "Slade should be helping me with this; he said he'd help me if I joined him." "I never said I'd help you; only that I could," a voice from the shadows of the room said. "Slade?" He emerged from the darkness, the slithering shadows slithering off him. "Having difficulties I see?" I sat up and glared at him. "Hell yeah I'm having difficulties. What's this about you not helping me?" He stood next to me now, looking down through his dual colored mask. "I never said I wouldn't help you and I never said that I would. I merely stated that I _could_ help you."

"Well, how about you _do _help me and stop being a cryptic jackass?" With a growl, he took me by my shirt and hoisted me up. "Now listen, I could have you killed or worse if you disrespect me as such again. I don't care if you are a fragile, little girl bent on revenge because of something your stupid brother did. You _will_ mind your elders. Do you hear me?" I glared into the eyes of his mask. Swinging my leg back and then propelling it forward, I swiftly kicked him in the groin. He fell to the ground in pain, holding his beloved jewels. I bent down to his eyelevel and snatched him by the collar. "Now, _you_ listen to _me_. Unless you want _much_ more than a kick to your sack, I suggest you not do that anymore. Now let me get something straight with you. You are _not_ my elder. Unless you suddenly start to shrivel up into some old geezer, I'll damn right treat you as I please if you treat me how you just did. You _will_ respect me or I'm out the door. And you _will _help me find my brother. Got that?" When I didn't hear an answer I punched him again in the groin. "I said, _got that_?"

With a painful grunt, he nodded. "Good," I said and threw him back on the floor. Before walking away I stepped on his chest, pressing my foot down slightly. "Oh, and the next time you call me a 'fragile, little girl', expect to wake up with a vagina and a pencil shoved up your ass."


	3. Beautifully Exceptional

18:02

Chapter 3: Beautifully Exceptional

Theme Song: _Bruno Mars: Just The Way You Are _and _Christina Grimmie: Ugly_

A few weeks later after my small incident with Slade, we started to get along better, despite our constant bickering, that is. "How in the world do you ever expect to get a girlfriend if all you do is insult her?" "I _did not_ insult you." "You said my butt looked fat in those jeans!" I stood before him with my hands on my hips while he sat on the couch with his head in his hands. "Because you asked!" "That didn't mean I wanted the truth. Has no one ever told you to _lie_ when a girl asks you that. Damn!" "Who said I ever wanted a girlfriend?" I flopped onto his lap. "I did. And you're going to get one instead of sitting here like some lump on a log. I will personally drag you out of this house if I have to." With a disgusted look on his face, he pushed me off his lap and protested, "I'm perfectly fine with being alone." I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, I bet you haven't gotten laid in years."

He got up and traveled down the hall to his bedroom. "I am not having this conversation with you." "Too late, I've already started it!" I yelled and ran down the hall after him. He tried to slam his bedroom door in my face, but I stuck my foot in the door. "Come on, Slade. What are you so afraid of? I mean, with your body _anyone_ would just die to go out with you. It's like…" I stood back to admire the outline of his chiseled abs and delicious muscled arms. "Damn," I breathed, "you could make a gay man go straight.". All of a sudden my legs felt like noodles. I walked up to him and placed my hand on his abdomen. "It's just…2, 4, 6, _8_. Oh Jesus, he has _8_! And those _arms_…" "_Tempt_." I jumped back, startled.

"What?" "I've been calling you for the past five minutes. What were you saying that had you groping me incessantly?" I looked into the eyes of his mask. I mean, I _really_ looked into the depths of them and for a second I thought I saw a sliver of striking baby blues. "Slade," I whispered and slowly brought my hands up to his mask. "Let me see your face." He hurriedly stepped back. "No." "What? Why?" I reached for his mask again. "I don't let anyone see my face." He turned around to look in the mirror. I put my hand on his shoulder squeezed. "Come on, I'm sure it's not that bad. You've got the body like Adonis. There's no way you can't have the face of a Greek god." I walked around to stand in front of him. He made no effort to stop me from pulling off his mask.

I grasped the edges of his mask and slowly slipped it off. I gasped when I saw his face. "Slade," I murmured. He started to take the mask from my hands, but I moved it out of his reach. "I know; ghastly." I put the mask on the dresser and felt the raised ridges on his face. "Not at all. I think you're the most beautiful man I've ever seen." Once I said that, a silence started to loom over us, with me still holding his face and looking into his eyes. Blushing, I stepped back and cleared my throat. "So, like I said, anyone would be lucky to go out with you. You just need to get out there. How about we take a break from the whole villain thing and go out? Maybe to a club?"

"Why would I want to do that?" Giving him a pouty glare, I slapped him on the arm. "Because I said so and I'm tired of seeing you walk around brooding." He started to walk out of the room, agitated. "I don't brood." "Oh really?" I exclaimed, following him to his 'cave' where all of his cameras and televisions were for spying on the city and the Teen Titans. "Then what do you call sitting in a dark room staring at nothing but a wall? Unless you were in there getting freaky with yourself I don't see much else you could be doing!" Slade whirled around to face me. "It is none of your business what I do in my free time. If I want to brood, I can brood." I shook my head as if to clear out everything he had just said. "You're so pitiful. I'd swear you were gay if I hadn't found those pictures on your laptop."

The eyeholes in his mask widened. "You what?" I pretended like I was talking to a baby and repeated it for him slowly. "I found dirty pictures on your laptop. You didn't think I wouldn't find them did you? I mean, really, Slade, someone like you should know better than to put 'downwiththetitans' as your password. It's one of the easiest things to guess." "Stay out of my room and off of my laptop!" He turned to walk away and like a child, I mimicked him behind his back. Little did I know that he had turned back around and caught me. "Stop that," he said and continued on his way down to the 'cave', leaving me pouting in the middle of the hall.

**Well I hope everyone liked that. I've been kind of busy and so far only people from the US, Canada, and Norway have checked it. If you don't mind, please tell people about it and give me something to read. I'm bored and that's what plenty of bored people do. :|**


	4. Cupid Stabbed Me in the Butt

Chapter 4: Cupid Stabbed Me in the Butt

Theme Song: _Tynisha Keli: Live Without You _and _Imogen Heap: The Moment I Said It_

"Tempt, come here, _now_," Slade called from his cave. "Of course, all mighty king asshole. I'm not doing anything at all. _Jackass_," I mumbled and shoved the rest of my chocolate pudding with rainbow sprinkles in my mouth. "And who the hell said you could interrupt me when I'm eating my pudding? I know I made a rule about this," I mumbled to myself as I walked down the stairs to the 'cave'. "What do you want, Slade? I know I told you not to interrupt me when I'm eating my pudding." Slade didn't even give me a glance as he continued to furiously type on his keyboard. "This is more important than your fattening treats." I stopped abruptly in the middle of the floor. "Are you calling me fat?"

"No, now get over here," he responded in a deadpan voice. I rolled my eyes and stomped over to where he sat, and then leaned on the back of his chair. "What?" "I'm planning to withdraw money from the city's bank account and I need you to distract the Teen Titans should they arrive to come and stop me." "Why can't you just withdraw the money from the bank from here?" "The codes only work on their personal database." He pulled out a plan from a drawer underneath the keyboard. "I'll be in here once I've knocked out all the guards," he pointed to a room on the upper left part of the paper. " Will Stone, Plug, or Gush be coming?" "Only if you want them to," he replied.

"I'll call for Gush if I need him. When's this supposed to go down?" He swiveled around in his chair and stood up, knocking me slightly off balance. "Tonight. Be ready by 7pm." With a stiff nod, I went to go get another pudding cup. "Next time, wait until I'm done with my pudding to talk about something so trivial as money."

7 PM

I met up with Slade at exactly 7pm. Instead of my usual half-hoodie and sweatpants, I wore tiny black short shorts and a forest green tank top with black combat boots. "What are you wearing?" he asked me, irritated disdain in his eyes. "Clothes," I replied in a 'duh' voice. "_Why_ are you wearing it?" "For a cover, duh. Do you want me to walk down the street in my usual clothes and risk practically everyone recognizing me? Use your head, old man. I think you're starting lose it." He huffed as I walked by him, yanking the keys from his hands. "Come on! I need to get back to watch _Jersey Shore_."

DOWNTOWN

At Jump City's bank somewhat near the pizza place, people still roamed around aimlessly, shopping and enjoying the time of their friends and family. Seeing them so happy and laughing, kids fussing with their siblings, parents fussing over them; it reminded me of the hole I had in my heart. It ached, not being able to do the same with my own family. I only remembered a distant memory of a flicker of my mother and father's face. I would have remembered my little sister if Ash hadn't killed my mother. I never even got the chance to meet her. Anger sparked in me once again and I silently reinforced my vow to myself to make my brother pay.

"Tempt, are you ready?" My thoughts were interrupted by the stone voice that was Slade's. His persona always changed into a devious, malicious crook when he was conducting 'business'. "Of course I am. What kind of question is that?" "One that doesn't need a smart-ass remark," he replied, glaring at me. Rolling my eyes, I exited the car and looked around, shaking out my amber waves of hair. I slipped on my sunglasses and started up the steps to the pizza place while Slade worked at disarming the lock on the back door to the bank. Of course, the pizza place was conveniently located across the street from the bank and would ya guess who was there? The infamous Teen Titans, brave and fearless, ready to fight crime, and celebrating victories with pizza at the end of every day. Well, I guarantee this won't be a fight they'll be celebrating.

I walked into the restaurant and followed the waitress to the top deck where the titans sat joking at a table by the far side of the deck. "I'll sit over here," I told the waitress and sat at a table across the deck from the titans where I could get a clear view of them. "Well is there anything I can't get you?" she asked me. Barely glancing at the menu, I ordered the first thing I saw. "Two diet cokes and a large Hawaiian pizza." "Yes, ma'am," she said and left to attend to my order. The Titans remained totally unaware that I watched them like a hawk. _Pitiful. One of the first basic rules of any good superhero is to be aware of your surroundings. The least you could do is make sure you're not being watched or that no one's in trouble. _

I looked around, bored. How long did it take to hack into the bank's central account and transfer the money to his own? The waitress came back with my order. I thanked her and gave her a five dollar tip. "T-thank you," she stuttered in disbelief and blushed. I nodded, watching her scamper off, probably to go brag to her coworkers about what she had gotten. I was about to lay my head down when the alarm to the bank suddenly started to blare. "Finally; I was beginning to think the old man had fallen and couldn't get up," I muttered under my breath. Grabbing the pizza and sodas, I jumped off the ledge and onto the pavement below. People screamed behind me at my abrupt leap. A car horn honked and I turned to see Slade waving frantically for me to get in.

Behind me, the Teen Titans called for us to stop. I threw our pizza in the backseat and put the sodas in our cup holders. "You got another car waitin' for us somewhere, boss man?" I asked him and jumped into the passenger seat, slamming the car door. Slade sped off the second the door closed. The Titans were left blinded by our dust. "I do. You got us something to eat?" I leaned back and smirked. "Well I couldn't just very well leave us to starve tonight, could I? I hope you like Hawaiian, old man." I could practically see the vein in his forehead pulsing with irritation. "Old man?" I chuckled. "Heh, just paying respects to my 'elders'." He rolled his eyes and frustratingly huffed.

I laughed again. "So where's this getaway car of ours?" He motioned with his head. "Over there." We turned into the spot where he had somehow hidden the car. Our sexy stallion of a car was hidden by tons of vines and bushes. I jumped out of the car before he could park and squealed excitedly, "No way! You jacked Batman's car? Sweet!" The ignition cut off and the masked man smoothly slipped out. "You must be dumber than you look if you really think that," he stated, rather than asked as he grabbed our food out of the car. I turned to glare at him. "Excuse me? I'll have you know I was at the top of my class. I have a very high IQ."

He looked at me with a bored expression. "Were you raised into a family of squirrels?" I crinkled my nose, confused at his strange question. What was he getting at? "What? No!" I exclaimed and snatched the keys out of his hand. "Give those back!" he demanded. Ignoring him, I pulled on my shades and reapplied my lip gloss. "Shut up and get in the car," I replied and backed out of the dark cover of the trees. Slade narrowed his eyes at me, buckled up, and sat back in a brood at getting his ass handed to him. '_He just too cute_' I thought and smirked as we cruised down the road. "You'd better not wreck my car." I rolled my eyes and waved him off. "Oh, don't worry about me, sergeant. I'm an _excellent_ driver. I got one of the highest grades on my driver's test." Slade sighed and turned his attention back to the road where his eyes widened to the size of porcelain bowls.

"Look at the road!" Slade yelled. My head snapped back to the road. A deer was standing stupidly in the middle of the road, not even bothering to move. I swerved to keep from hitting it while Slade screamed in my ear, fighting me for the wheel. "I don't wanna die!" I shouted, tiny tears peeping out from my eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you!" Slade yelled at me, "Push on the damn brakes already!" I let go of the wheel, finally letting him take hold. "I can't find it!" I wailed. With a frustrated grunt, he slapped my leg, earning a startled, pained yelp and slam on the brake. We finally stopping crookedly half way in the middle of the road, half off.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled to the pissed masked man in black as I walked past him to the other side of the car. "Whatever," he snapped. "Just shut up and get in the car! You are never driving again. Excellent driver, my ass," he bitterly muttered the last part.


	5. The Monster Inside Me

Chapter 5: The Monster Inside Me (Insecure Insecurities)

Theme Songs: _Evanescence: Bring Me to Life _and _Jessie J: Nobody's Perfect_

_Calloused hands slid over smooth, bronze skin, leaving fiery trails of passion in their wake. A gasp emitted from swollen lips as a hungry mouth attacked an exposed slim neck. "You're such an aphrodisiac," a husky voice uttered into an ear. A breathy moan. "Then drink me in," a yearning voice replied and the owner of the husky voice proceeded to drink his fill._

Tempt woke up with a start and quickly glanced around the room. "Aw hell," she whispered. Running a hand through her amber hair, she tiredly got up to go to the bathroom. She looked at the clock. "Damn. Of course I would wake up at three o'clock in the morning." Once in the bathroom she splashed cool water on her face and looked in the mirror. Dark circles embraced her lower lids. "Man, I look like crap," she grimaced and pulled at her slightly sunken cheeks. Tempt sighed and prepared for the day like she would any other.

An hour later, she sat at the kitchen table nursing a cup of coffee. Having nothing else to do, she thought back to her dream the night before. _It felt so real, and so good. I wonder who that man was. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it almost sounded like—." _Her thoughts were interrupted by light footsteps only her trained ears would be able to pick up. She peeked around the corner and just to be on the safe side, she grabbed a knife from the holder on the counter and waited by the corner for the sneak to make their way around the corner.

A foot emerged from the shadows. Tempt lifted her knife and with a battle cry prepared to slice the perpetrator across the chest. A firm hand caught her by the wrist and held its grip as Tempt fought for control. "_Tempt_," a stern voice said. "It's me, Slade." She immediately stopped fighting and let out a breath of relief. "Wooh, thank God, Slade. I thought I was going to die for a second." Slade rolled his eyes. "This coming from a retired assassin. What shall I ever do if I need your help?" Tempt snorted. "Run for your life? I'll be running away."

Slade shook his head. "Lovely to know I can count on you," he remarked dully. Tempt honored him with a cheeky grin. "I know right?" She poured another cup of coffee and offered it to him. "What are we doing today?" she asked him and sat back in her seat, folding her long legs underneath her. Slade leaned against the counter and sipped his black caffeine through his mouth slit. He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm relaxing. Why don't you amuse yourself?" Tempt gave him a deadpan look. "What, am I supposed to just sit here and play with my toes?"

Slade set his mug on the counter. "I'm sure if you made noises and voices to go with them you wouldn't get bored." Tempt rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmph, fat chance. I'd have better luck pleasuring myself. How about we go out today, hm? You look like you could use some sun." "And you look like you could use less of it," Slade retorted and put his mug in the sink. Tempt frowned, her amber eyes narrowed in a strict glare. "I resent that. But like I said, you could afford some time outside."

Slade looked away. "I don't want to." Tempt stomped over to stand in front of him. "Does it look like I give a rat's ass?" she snapped. "We're going out and that's final. I'm tired of being cooped up in here and going on missions. Today is a day for deep relaxation. We can go to the beach." Slade's head snapped down to look her in the eyes. "I think not. I don't do the beach." Tempt smirked and placed her hand on his arm. "Come on," she cutely whined, "I bet you've got a nice bum for a pair of trunks. I'll even buy you a pair if you don't have any." "I said no," Slade stubbornly refused. Tempt turned around and pouted. "You hate me don't you? I knew it; you hate me. That's why you're keeping me locked in this place while you busily pleasure yourself all day," she cried into her hands.

"What are you going on about, you idiot?" Slade snapped. "You don't love me!" Tempt shouted dramatically and wept fake tears. "Of course I don't. I barely know you. Now shut up before you give me a migraine. I'll go with you to the beach. Are you happy now?" Tempt squealed and gave him a giant hug. "Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Slade. I promise you won't regret it!" Slade glared down at me and seethed through clenched teeth. "Get off." I snapped my arms back to my sides and offered him an apologetic smile. "Sorry," I chuckled and rubbed the back of my head. "I'll just…go get ready. Be ready in twenty minutes," I said and ran off to pack my things.

0oo0oo0oo0ooo0oo0

Within an hour we were pulling into the parking lot of the local beach. Since I banned from driving our car ever again I was forced to sit in the passenger seat. Slade cut off the ignition and leaned back into this seat to glare out the window shield. I raised an eyebrow. "Oi, old man, what's up with you?" His eyebrow twitched, presumably at my nickname for him. "I'm not getting out," he stated. "What? Why not?" I asked and opened the back door to stretch my cramped legs. "I'm just not getting out," he pigheadedly responded.

Huffing, I barged over to his side of the car and leaned in. "Why, Slade?" I pressed. He turned away and proceeded to ignore my demands. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. "Slade! Why? Do you not have anything to wear? Do you not know how to swim or something?" "Of course not," he snapped, "That'd be a stupid reason for someone to stay in the car." Biting my lip, I thought about why he'd refuse to get out of the car and come down to the beach. I stared curiously at him and a flashback of the night I pulled off his mask hit me. "Slade…are you…ashamed of the way you look?" I asked him hesitantly.

His head snapped back at me and I could almost feel the heat of the rage his eyes held as he looked at me. "No," he snapped, almost as if he was trying to convince himself of it, but I could tell from the change in his voice that I had guessed right. "Slade, you don't have to feel ashamed. You're look amazing, I promise you. Those scars mean nothing, except for the fact that you hit rough patch in life and lived through it to tell the story. It's a mark of bravery and strength." I gently took hold of his chin and coaxed him to look at me. "I promise you, Slade. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you." A pregnant silence followed, and he slowly brought his hand up to his face and took off the mask. I smiled softly at him. "There, that's better, isn't it?" I asked him not really expecting an answer. "Now, come on. There's a whole beach out there waiting for us!" I exclaimed and waited for him to get out of the car so I could hand him our things.

Once on the beach, we set up our towels and giant umbrella I had bought at the boardwalk beach store. I stood up to survey our surroundings and put my hand up to shield my face from the blaring sun. "This is nice, isn't it?" I asked, not really speaking to anyone in particular. "I suppose," he said quietly and looked around, somewhat nervous. I chuckled. _He looks so out of his element. So cute. _I laid my hand on his shoulder. "Relax, hun. Just sit back and enjoy the sun or go swim a little. After you rub sunscreen on my back, that is," I mentioned the last part with a small smirk.

He took the tan bottle of sunscreen and waited for me to pull off my oversized shirt, so he could get to my back. I could feel his eyes roaming down my body once I took the shirt off to expose my toned stomach and well-endowed chest. His eyes lingered on my legs for just a second longer than I bet he wanted them to. "Careful, tiger," I teased, "You don't want to let the flies zoom in, do you?" His cheeks flushed the slightest of reds and I chuckled, amused. I sat in front of him with my legs crossed Indian style.

The second I felt his lotion-covered hands touch my back I shivered and closed my eyes. I held in my content moan of pleasure as he slid his hands up and down my back, dipping slightly into my lower back, rubbing small circles. _He has experienced hands_, I thought. "That feels nice," I whispered. A slightly deeper press on my back was his only response. "You've done this before, haven't you?" I concluded. He said nothing. "Come on, old man, no one else is even paying attention to us and you know I have no one to tell anything to but you, so spill. Open up a little." I heard him shuffle to his feet and the bottle of the sunscreen touched my arm. "Here," he quietly said and walked off to silently explore. I sighed. _He didn't even bother to take off his shirt. He is so new._


	6. An Epiphany, A Realization

**Chapter 6: An Epiphany, A Realization**

Theme Songs: _Scars on 45: Breakdown, Vanessa Carlton: Hands on Me, and Monica Lionheart: Escape Strategy_

There were no exchanged words on the ride home, nor were there any that night, or the next day, or the day after that. I finally got sick of it and impatiently stormed into Slade's room to find it completely barren of both him and the equipment it was once adorned with. _What the smuckers? _I thought. _Where is he? _"Slade!" I called him, my voice echoing throughout his man cave. "Slade! Dammit, Slade, where the frick are you?"

Out of frustration I grabbed a fork from out of the kitchen drawers and stabbed it into the wall. "When I get my hands on you—!" Her angry cry was interrupted by a hand ripping the fork out of the wall. "Do I need to get you one of those stress balls?" Slade smartly asked. I wheeled around and flung a ferocious glare at him. "Where the hell have you been? Why is all your stuff cleared out of your cave?"

If it could have been seen, you would have seen Slade's eyebrow twitch upward. "I'm cleaning it out and refurbishing it." My mouth gaped open. "And you couldn't have told me that?" I shouted incredulously. "I've been looking for you for three days. Where did you even put the stuff that was in your cave?" He shrugged. "I have a spare room I use for times like these."

"But, come here." He gently took me by the arm and led me down the hall into a room about half the size of his cave. "I found something on your brother." "Really? Let me see." I held out my hand and looked down at the packet he handed me. "These are credit card records. They're under the name Aiken Ma'Niah Claymore. What does this have to do with Ash?"

He sat down in his swivel chair in front of the computer monitor. "I pulled up records of an Aiken Claymore and it seems he doesn't legally exist. I believe it's an alias as to what his real name is. Banks are required to photograph all credit card owners. I hacked into the database for the Jump City's bank. They share information with other banks so they can make sure information checks out if need be. From the picture you gave me of your brother when we first met, it seems this would be how he would look now."

_Flashback: "Is there some type of identification of your brother that will help me locate him?" Slade asked me. I bit my lip and fumbled in my pocket for my wallet. I slipped out a window-sized picture and handed it to him. "This is what he looked like when he was ten. It's the only picture I have." Slade nodded. "That'll be fine."_

"I ran it through a simulator. From what you've told me before, he should be about 35 or 36 now." He pressed a button and a picture came up. A shaky wave of cold came over me. "Yes, that's him." Slade nodded. "He stopped using his credit cards about a year and a half ago. He could have started paying in cash. Maybe he knows you're getting closer to finding him."

I sighed and ran a hand through my disheveled hair. "Ok, so he's in Jump City right? Do you have an address from the bank's records?" "I do. But considering that he's on the run it may not be the only one or even the correct one. It could be a fake." He continued typing away.

"I'll check it anyway." He wrote the address down on a notepad and handed me the slip of paper. "I'll be back in a little bit."

0o0o0o0o0o0

I pulled up to Ash's supposed address. It was a well-kept street with kids playing basketball in their yards and power walkers walking their groomed dogs. "Looks like I'm not the only one taking other people's money. There's no way you could afford this house otherwise. You wouldn't dare take the chance of me finding you," I muttered under my breath.

I climbed out of the car and walked up to the house. "Time to meet your maker, Ash," I whispered and rang the doorbell. I could hear light footsteps pad down a hallway and then the click of a door as the doorknob turned. The door opened to reveal a little girl with white blonde hair and blue eyes. "Hi, can I help you?"

I was frozen. How could I repay my brother with this little girl here? I slapped on a fake smile and bent down to her level. "Hi, my name's Cassandra. I'm here to see Aiken. Is he here?" She smiled brightly. "Oh you mean my dad. He's here. Come on in." Ash had a daughter? But she looks nothing like him.

I followed her into what had to be a living room overseen by a kitchen. A slim brunette stood there wiping down the counter. "Leona! How many times have I told you not to open the door by yourself? Who's this?" she scolded. I stepped forward and offered her my hand. "Um, hi. I'm sorry to barge in like this. My name's Cassandra. I'm here to see Aiken. Family matters."

She nodded hesitantly and shook my hand. "Aren. I'm Aiken's wife." I felt like my breath had disappeared. "It's very nice to meet you. Is he here?" I looked around. "Can I speak to him?" "Uh…sure," she said. "Let me go get him." She walked off to find him. I looked down at the little girl. "So your name's Leona? That's a pretty name. What grade are you in?" She held up five fingers. "Fifth. I look older than I am. I'm really 10."

"Wow," I said. "You're taller than I was when I was 10. You're going to be pretty tall when you get older." She smiled at me and looked to a doorway as her mom and dad came in. "Here he is," Aren announced and moved out of the way so I could see my brother. I felt like my heart would stop. So this was the man who'd killed my parents. Made me cry alone at night and hug my teddy bear close to my face to muffle my pained screams? I couldn't believe it.

His hair was cut short. A long lightly puckered scar ran from his temple to his bottom lip. He was even taller than I thought he'd be, probably even taller than Slade. From the way he limped, I could tell something was wrong with his leg. He was missing his right one and in its place from the knee down was a fake leg. "Ash," I breathed.

_**Sorry** **for taking so long guys, but here it is and I hope you like it. Tell me what you think and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Ti amo. 3**_


	7. Kindness Doesn't Last For Long

Kindness Only Lasts For So Long

_Theme Song(s): Allison Iraheta: Scars & Tynisha Keli: Cry _

"Come on, honey. Let's give dad and his friend some time alone.," Aren ushered the sweet little girl out of the room. "Cassandra," Ash said as he hobbled in a pensive look on his face. "What are you doing here?" he asked me. When he noticed I wasn't answering he nervously rubbed his palms on his jeans. "Have a seat," he motioned to the love seat beside me and took a seat of his own after I sat down. "How have you been?" his voice trembled. Astonished, I started to chuckle darkly. "How am I? How the fuck do you think I am, dammit?! Why the hell are you still alive, Ash?" He stopped me hastily. "Don't call me that and lower your voice!" My eyes bulged incredulously. "Oh, so your little wifey doesn't even know who you really are?" I mocked with a smirk then hissed, "Pathetic. You can't even tell the truth to your 'family'. I can't wait 'til they find out how much of a lying bastard you really are." Ash sighed and rubbed his temples. "Why are you here, Cass?" "Don't call me that!" I jumped up.

"You don't have the right to call me that anymore!" Ash held my heated glare. "What are you doing here?" "Isn't it obvious?" I snapped. "I came here to kill your disgusting ass." "And for what, Cassandra?" he leaned over the coffee table separating us. "You know what you did! The only people that have ever loved me are gone and it's all your fault!" I screamed the last part. "And now it's time for you to pay up!" Ash furrowed his brow. "Cassandra, I don't think you know all of the details. Let me exp-," I interrupted him abruptly. "I don't know need to hear anything from you. All I know is you killed my parents _and_ my little sister. I never even got to meet her," I whispered, horror and betrayal lacing my voice. Ash shook his head furiously. "No, you need to listen. It's not what you think and you can't just come in here and do something like that!" "And why the hell n-?"

"Daddy?" a timid voice came from behind us. "Go back to mommy, sweetie," Ash quickly rushed her away, but that didn't keep my heart from stopping once I had seen her. The only thing I could think of when she peeked in was how I felt when I found my parents the night they had died. I could see myself in her, a scared little girl who just wanted her parents to assure her that everything was OK. I swallowed and I realized that I couldn't go through with it. "Cassandra," Ash whispered and tried to reach out a hand to me. Jerking back, I jumped up. "No. I don't need an explanation and you can be assured that I won't hurt you or your precious little family. The only reason I am letting you live is because I don't want to ruin that little girl's life like you did mine. But know this, the next time I see you, whether it be by accident or on purpose, your head is _mine, child or not," I glared at him and then stormed off to the door, pausing in the doorway to give one final warning. "Count your blessings, Ash. You're going to need them."_


End file.
